Steering wheel



Feb. 24, 1925.

\!\J' BECK STEERING WHEEL Filed April 21, 3,924

Patented Feb. 24, l1925.

UNITED STATES ParamY oFF-lcs.

GHARLS W. BECK, QF DETROIT, MI'CHIGANf-ASSIGNR T0 TEE BECK-FROST GGR PORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CRPDRATION 0F MICHIGAN'.

s'r'snmire Appucation nea apra 21, wir. sassi ne. waere.

To all whom 'it may concern.' Ee it known that I, CHARLES W. BECK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing et Detroit, in the county of 'Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented eer-` tain new and useful Improvements in Steerm ing Wheels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings..

rllhis invention relates to steering wheels and consists of certain novel features of construction and combination of parts vas hereinafter set forth.. r

ln the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a steering wheel embodying my. invention;

Figure 2 is a. sectional View taken on line 2--2 of VFigure 1; l y

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line p spider 2 which includes a hub 3 and a plurality of radially extending arms fr.

rllhe hub preferably comprises a sheet metal shell 5 that is provided at its uppcr` end with flared radially extending projections 6 having depending flanges 7 at the opposite side edges thereof. Located within the shell 5 is a metallic core 8 which is preferably a die casting and is provided with a tapering bore 9 for receiving a suitable steering stein (not shown), The core 8 is also preferably provided at' its upper end with radially extending projections 12 having longitudinally extending recesses 13 therein that receive the spider arms 4. These arms are preferably formed of wood and are preferably cutl away at their inner ends as shown at 8 to provide a shoulder 9 for engagement with the outer ends of the projection 6. `hiitable headed elements such as screws are referably driven through openings 15 in t e projections 12 'and into the arms 4 to hold the latter in the recesses 13.

For concealing the core 10 and holding the saine in the s ell 5, I preferably provide a top plate .i6 that conforms'in shape to the upper suriiace ott the-core and is provided with marginal flanges 17 that extend downwardly between arms 4 and are prefer-v ably crimped. over the lianges 7 of the shell 5. Thus, the plate 16 and flanges 'Z cooperate with the shell 5 to form a housing for the core. In this connection it 'will be noted that the .tiered portions 19 of the top plate pro" itly beyond the projections 12 the r Se 'to a point in vertical alignmentwith ends of the projections 6 and engage transversely extending notches 2() in the'upper surface of the arms 4. I

In the process et" construction, the arms 4 are rst inserted in the recesses 13 and are then secured to the projections 12 by means ci the screws 14. The assembled arins^and core are then placed upon the inverted top plate 16 as shown-in Figure 4: of thedrawing, whereupon the shell 5 is slipped upon the core so,that the projections 6 abut the arms. In order that the shell 5, core 10 and cover plate will be secured together in a single operation, the flanges 1l' are then crimped over the depending 'flanges 'Tas in Figures 2 and 5 of the drawing tc provide the finished steering wheel.

llrom. the ier readily appa exceptionally sti ig and durable steering wheel ot 'the builtnp type that can be mnnulactured i.. comparatively low cost. This g description it will be i at l". have provided an' is especially se in view of the act'the time required for building up the wheels is reduced. to a minimum by securing the core,

shell and top plate together in a single operation. the depending. flanges 17 of the top plate engage the curved side edges of the projections '12 and thereby' prevent the core 10 from moving or turning relative to the shell 5. Furthermore, the arms l will be held securely in position in the recess 13 by the screws 14 which pass through the holes 15in the projections 12 and also by the portions 19 of the top plate which engage the notches 20 in the upper surfaces of the arms 4.

-While it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages It will also be apparent that of the invention will bereadily apparent, A I desire to have it understood that I do not no i shown and may be Y dieci, the combination ilirnlity of arms s :umd therein; of i, .nb nfflncling :i snol., :i core i li n'iilnn mash-ell am., having portions secured.

lo ille?, afina, anni i cover: plate upon the ofn" fi lo fili@ glieli.

2;. an ze, sioni-ing; wheel, lli@ nonibinaion violi n Tini and a plni'zility of nuns Secured youo, olf n hub including a shell having img llanffns secured to snifl i i. p'ojecliions.nnpporling; the zum? n core Wiiln in 'the Snell having poi'ions extening upon h si vs of lie armsy and :i cover plate,

.kivlienl5 n hub including n com Wilnn t i@ Shell, a pinmlity nl? solo@ ninna i L on@ of Said. Qloi :o peeled Lo inenes7 anal i cover plate engaging one oil iol elements and secniecl to tho olinr of i @lenienla rol spider Comprising a nn n coin wiliin the (fins sncnrod lo Suid. concmiling 'ln?, Core iii i lifliji extending gnojeoions oi" s for Securing salici. com.

ing the embossed potions of the xst-nien wound progoctsons :n'zcl'disposd in the rocnsses in the last-mentioned projections, and means foi holding Suid arms in the recesses and in eng'ngolnent 'willi 'the niliossixl portions aforesaid.

8. ln a Steering wheel, hul; inflnulinr n shell having radially vexending projecions, a plnaiity of radially @vending urnV resting upon. the Enid projections, zi com Within he shell having projections Fecnied to die arms, and :i "cop pla' npon sind com inning flanges extending; downwardly lie.- tween ille ming and return-bont ugainfw (lio projections of die shell.

9. ln. i Steering vflncl, n. lull) having' n shelland n core in said Snell, n. Slg-rios of projectio As Qxtending radially from com, a Series of Spi/loi :mns .@:nonifofl To projections, and n cover plntn lo? said socnrerl to said shell.

10. ln :i steeringwhonl, n lnib having shall :ind i core in said shell, projections extending iadially from sind. Core. arms; secniefl lo Said pIOjQCtiOnS, projocions upon .fcnial shell engaging snid urina, flanges can i'iofl by ihn last-mentioned pi'ojocionn, :ni-Ll n oovorpln'e upon said core having flnnggnil, crinped over the flanges aforesaid.

. in :i steering Wheel n, lnio including);

a shell, ai, core in the shell having milinlljif extending recesses, und airing engaging sind recesses and sncuiefl to said core.

En tesifirnfsfny whereof aina' my signature.

Suid Snicl CUYO, 

